How to Bring Gifts Through Security

Sarah Pascarella has a master's degree in writing, literature, and publishing from Emerson College, where she specialized in magazine writing and nonprofit publishing. She is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and the New England Writers association.

Even though we’ve determined it’s often [% 2763505 | | cheaper to ship gifts ahead of time %], you may still find yourself having to bring presents to the airport. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has put together a checklist of how to get through security with your holiday gifts. Here are the essentials:

If you have any gifts that are liquid-based, you’ll want to check them. Liquid- and gel-based items will not be permitted in carry-on bags and may be confiscated by security officials. This includes wine, beer, and liquor; jams and jellies; perfumes and lotions. The rule applies to items brought to the airport—if you’ve purchased items at an airport store past the security checkpoints, those are cleared for carry-on transport. However, note that if you have a connecting flight and need to go through security again at your connecting airport, you may hit a few snafus.

Make sure all of your gifts are unwrapped. Security officials will want to know what’s inside the wrapped packages, and may open them to determine what they contain. Don’t waste your time and wrapping paper—wait to wrap your presents until you get to your destination.

Have further questions? Check out the TSA website for additional tips and recommendations.

Do you have a holiday story about trying to take gifts through security? Share your experiences by submitting a comment below!